Before I start this review I have a confession to make, I didn’t buy this game when it first came out… I actually waited until it went on sale during one of PSN’s Flash Sales, so I don’t have any buyers remorse like some folks do. In fact I think I came out like a bandit with this game, because to be honest, Norn9 is worth exactly what I paid for it (and let’s remember that I paid $35 for Alice in the Heart)!
I try to remain neutral when starting a new game, that way I can be as unbiased as possible in my reviews. However, with Norn9: Var Commons that was easier said than done… Since it’s release in the West, Norn9 has been met with some pretty mixed reviews. On one side of the spectrum are the positive reviews which praise Norn9 for it’s unique plot and interesting characters. Then there are the negative reviews, that point out the various inconsistencies between routes and the gratuitous liberties Aksys took with the translation from Japanese to English. So, I didn’t know what to expect when we in That Game Club decided to pick up Norn9 as our next group gaming experience.
*Disclaimer: All images and screenshots from Norn9 used in this review belong to Idea Factory and Otomate. Please if you are interested in the game, purchase a copy from your local game shop, Aksys, Amazon.com, or the PSN Store!*